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Category Archives: Death Row

Two years ago, we were optimistic about the efforts being made by many to resolve a huge problem of injustice here: the problem of “junk science.” All too often in this state, and across the country, “junk science” is being used to wrongfully convict innocent people of crime. Some are even sentenced to death based,…

In what universe does anyone really believe that eyewitness testimony is reliable? Really? We’ve written before about how criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors alike are well aware that witnesses are notoriously unreliable in giving accurate information about a crime. For example, read our earlier post discussing a Dallas Morning News expose where the Dallas County…

You’ll remember Judge Charlie Baird – we’ve written about him before: Judge Baird was the man who took on the Tim Cole matter when others on the bench would not, and we tipped our hat to him for it (read “Judge Charlie Baird May Exonerate a Dead Man and Give Justice to Tim Cole”). Judge Baird…

Remember last fall, when Texas Death Row inmate Hank Skinner sued District Attorney Lynn Switzer? Within months of his scheduled execution, Hank was fighting hard — and he filed a new lawsuit, arguing that his civil rights had been violated because the prosecutor refused to allow Skinner to test evidence from the case for DNA. Hank…

There’s been lots of news coverage over the impending execution by the State of Texas of 47-year-old Hank Skinner, who has been sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend and her two adult sons back on New Year’s Eve 1993. Hank Skinner says he’s innocent. He’s asking for DNA testing to be done. …

The United States Supreme Court is already considering Henry Skinner’s petition for certiorari (09-7784), which he filed after his 1999 petition for writ of habeas corpus with the Amarillo federal district court (Skinner v. Quartman) was denied, and after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals initially granted him a certificate of appealability on two issues relating to…

If you’re shaking your head in disbelief at this week’s ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — well, join the crowd. When the news first hit that a trial court judge and the district attorney who prosecuted cases in her courtroom had had a long-standing sexual relationship, lots of folk were stunned. And lots…

Michael Toney walked out of jail a free man last week after being on Texas’ Death Row for a decade. Maybe you remember the case of Michael Toney…. Michael Toney Was Convicted for the Bombing Murder of 3 People – Nine Years Later, the DA Admits to Hiding Exculpatory Evidence Last October, we posted about how…

Death Row inmate Rodney Reed, 41, brought an appeal of his case before the highest court in our state for criminal matters, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, arguing that there is new evidence in his case. And, this evidence points to the victim’s boyfriend – who was a cop at the time – as…

The Discovery Channel will offer you another reality-TV option later this month, just in case you don’t have enough reality-TV options to choose from already: on April 26, “Dallas DNA” makes its first appearance, telling the story of Johnnie Lindsay (see our post on 09/26/08). Investigation Discovery, a part of the Discovery Channel, is focusing…